Sparking a Weed Uprising in Minneapolis

Sparking a Weed Uprising in Minneapolis

Author: David Bienenstock March 25, 2026 Duration: 1:08:39
Angela Dawson is a fourth generation farmer, albeit the first of her name to farm cannabis. She’s also a leading weed activist in the state of Minnesota, who's currently preparing for the 4/20 soft-launch of "The Garden on 26th," a new licensed retail dispensary in South Minneapolis that will sit just steps from where Alex Pretti was publicly executed by ICE agents in January. Angela and I discuss the many ways the War on Drugs laid the groundwork for our government's current disastrous, cruel and very racist approach to immigration enforcement. How opening a dispensary focused on mutual support and cannabis education in such a heavily impacted community can offer relief, remediation and re-education. And the details of her own personal journey with the plant, including finding deep solace in weed during the most challenging stretch of her life.  Angela is the co-founder of ⁠Forty Acre Co-op⁠, one of the only Black-Indigenous owned hemp cooperatives in the country, and ⁠The Minnesota Black Farmers Association⁠, the leading farmer equity voice in the Midwest region.  PATREON Please ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. 

Great Moments in Weed History delves deep into humanity's 10,000+ year relationship with cannabis (a.k.a. marijuana) to explore the humor, heart, and historical importance of the planet's most revered and maligned plant. Hosted by David Bienenstock.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Great Moments in Weed History
Podcast Episodes
Meet the Ultimate 'Cannabis Couple' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:50
For over fifty years, Michelle and Michael Aldrich have tirelessly advocated for the cannabis plant. A joint life's journey that started when they first met at the first-ever conference hosted by the National Organizatio…
Your 'Burning Questions' About Weed Answered [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:25
What have you always wanted to know about the herb but were afraid to ask? Bean scoured the Reddit /trees forum and asked Great Moments in Weed History supporters on Patreon to find out, and then sat down for a sesh, put…
"I Weed A Miracle Every Day" — The Grateful Dead Get Busted and Win [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:23
Jerry Garcia and Mountain Girl sat rolling joints and cleaning the stems and seeds from a brick of weed when a fateful knock came at the door of 710 Ashbury Street. Having your communal crash pad raided by the police isn…
Higher Education: Now You Can Major in Cannabis Studies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:41
College students have always experimented with weed, but there's never been anything like Cal Poly Humboldt's new Cannabis Studies Program. Housed at a state university located in the most famous cannabis cultivation reg…
From 'High Times' to 'Reefer Dadness' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:54
Rick Cusick has worn many hats since first getting lit in the 1970s—editor, author, activist, advocate and agitator. He also raised a child solo while serving as the head of High Times magazine and lived to write the tal…
America's Best Dispensary Has Deep Roots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:57
Since 1990, Housing Works has been actively supporting NYC's unhoused population and people with HIV/AIDS through advocacy, mutual support and entrepreneurship. Two years ago, the once radical organization was awarded th…
Dennis Peron Put the Grass in Grassroots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:42
After discovering the healing power of weed while serving in Vietnam, Dennis Peron smuggled two pounds of high-grade herb home. From there he became a charismatic and defiant leader of San Francisco's medical weed and ga…
Hip-Hop Lit The Fuse of Weed Freedom w/ Fab 5 Freddy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:26
From starring in the first-ever movie about hip-hop and graffiti, to hosting Yo! MTV Raps, Fab 5 Freddy has been a weed aficionado at the forefront of underground culture for more than four decades. He's also the filmmak…